The changing gender differences in life expectancy in Korea 1970-2005

Area of Science:

• Demography
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Women in Korea exhibit a longer life expectancy than men, a gap that has evolved over decades.
• Previous research on life expectancy gender gaps primarily focused on Western countries, with limited studies in Asia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze age- and cause-specific factors contributing to the changing gender differentials in life expectancy in Korea.
• To specifically investigate the decline in the life expectancy gender gap in Korea.

Main Methods:

• Employed a decomposition method to analyze changes in life expectancy gender differentials.
• Examined data from 1970 to 2005 to identify trends and contributing factors.

Main Results:

• The life expectancy gender gap widened from 1970-1979, primarily due to faster mortality declines in women aged 20-44.
• A significant reduction in the gender gap occurred from 1992-2005, largely influenced by improved survival in younger and middle-aged populations (15-64).
• Key causes narrowing the gap included liver diseases, transport accidents, and hypertensive diseases; conversely, lung cancer and suicide widened the gap.

Conclusions:

• Unlike industrialized nations where smoking-related deaths narrow the gap, these causes increased the gender gap in Korea.
• Liver disease, hypertension, and transport accidents were the primary drivers of the narrowing life expectancy gender gap in Korea.